Microsoft may soon put all the rumors about its Project Scorpio console to rest. The software giant is planning to reveal the console’s hardware specs later this week, most likely on Thursday, and then discuss it at the E3 event in June. Though there is no official confirmation yet, Microsoft has reportedly agreed to let a media outlet preview the Project Scorpio with Forza Motorsport 7 and demonstrate its capabilities to the world.
A third-party is going to show off Project Scorpio
Windows Central senior editor Jez Corden reported that a “major gaming outlet” recently visited Microsoft headquarters to learn about the console’s specs for a pre-planned “exclusive blowout” of coverage. The Forza Motorsport 7 is said to release on the same day as the Project Scorpio. NeoGAF member Shinobi backed Corden’s claims in a tweet.
https://twitter.com/JezCorden/status/848185994406965249
Scorpion things next week, yes. Hardware sounds damn impressive. ? https://t.co/MovqRIUjLa
— Shinobi602 (@shinobi602) April 2, 2017
Though Jez Corden did not mention when the specs would be revealed, a tweet from The Inner Circle points to Thursday announcement. We will get to hear about the console’s technical details through an article in Eurogamer’s Digital Foundry. It won’t be a proper Microsoft announcement, though the company has allowed a third-party website to reveal the details.
Im told thursday, specs will release via eurogamer/digital foundry
— OX3 Kal El (@SuperPodshots) April 2, 2017
Microsoft wants to get the technical details out before E3
The Redmond-based software giant wanted to get the technical details out of the way before the big E3 event. Xbox chief Phil Spencer said last month in an episode of the Unlocked podcast it would be difficult to talk about both hardware and software at E3. Microsoft’s E3 show is mainly about software. Spencer didn’t want the hardware to steal all the attention from the games. So, the company might reveal the hardware details before E3.
Microsoft has already listed Project Scorpio on its official store. Instead of providing any new details, the listing merely repeats what’s already known. It does allow interested gamers to sign up using their email address to get an update when the console becomes available. It is expected to go on sale ahead of the holiday season this year.
Project Scorpio hardware specs
Since announcing the console at E3 2016, Microsoft has been hailing Project Scorpio as the world’s most powerful gaming console ever. Don’t expect it to be just another console. Scorpio will pack six teraflops of graphics processing power and 320GB/second of memory bandwidth. It will offer native 4K gaming and high-fidelity virtual reality support.
Recent leaks suggest the Scorpio would boast of HEVC and VP9 codecs for 4K streams and 12GB of GDDR5 memory. Even though Microsoft has managed to pack an internal power supply unit in the Scorpio, Windows Central says the console will have a more sleek design than users expect from such a powerful device. Just like Xbox One S, the Scorpio will not have an external power brick.
The Redmond company announced at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco earlier this year that mixed reality content would be coming to the Xbox One and Project Scorpio next year. Microsoft will reportedly offer more details on mixed reality at the Build conference next month. Mixed reality is when you scan a real-life object and place it into virtual reality.
Gaming titles coming to Project Scorpio
Phil Spencer said last week that first-party games were crucial for Project Scorpio launch. The console is said to be compatible with all the Xbox One games. It is unclear whether Spencer was referring to updating the existing first-party games to take full advantage of Scorpio’s capabilities or introducing new titles for the upcoming console.
Meanwhile, several big-name games such as Forza Motorsport 7, Red Dead Redemption 2, FIFA 18, Star Wars Battlefront II, and Crackdown 3 are rumored to come with Project Scorpio or soon after its launch. Phil Spencer has assured fans that all the Xbox One games would run smoothly on Project Scorpio. The Xbox backward compatibility would also come to Windows 10 PCs.
How much is it going to cost?
Don’t expect the world’s most powerful gaming console to have an affordable price tag. According to Phil Spencer, Scorpio is not for everyone. It will have a premium design, look and feel, as well as a premium price tag. Even after the Scorpio launch, Spencer expects the Xbox One S to remain Microsoft’s top-selling console because of the huge price difference between the two.
Phil Spencer has reiterated that Scorpio is for people who spend the most hours and buy the most titles. Even though Microsoft hasn’t revealed its price tag, folks at HD Report tried to calculate the price based on the console’s features and hardware components. They said native 4K gameplay and streaming alone could push its price to more than $400. According to HD Report, the market price of Scorpio would be about $700.
